David ClarkA key component in the Southern District Health Board's plan to restore its shaky financial position has been imperilled by the looming five-day resident doctors' strike. The strike will result in hundreds of elective surgeries being postponed or cancelled, at a high cost to SDHB revenue. This year it has prioritised reaching and exceeding its elective surgery targets to earn as much revenue as possible. However, he warned commissioners that any threatened longer strike could wipe out the progress surgical teams had made. Yesterday, the SDHB said the RDA strike, scheduled to run from April 29-May 4, would have considerable effect on hospital health services.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 23, 2019 16:32 UTC